


Broken (Something Beautiful)

by Musiccrazed915



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Smut, Songwriter!Niall, Writer!Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 14:41:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musiccrazed915/pseuds/Musiccrazed915
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I was writing a one page Zouis drabble, and this happened. Yeah. Inspired by Some Devil by Dave Matthews.</p><p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhbzoltxZms&feature=youtube_gdata_player</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken (Something Beautiful)

The sun was muted through the closed curtains. It fell soft, warm, unlike Harry's side of the bed.

Louis snuggled deeper into the covers, covering his face, too awake to fall back to sleep, too sad to leave his bed, _their_  bed. Too broken to survive.

He glared at curtains, wishing they would do as he had hoped and kept out the sun that wasn't supposed to shine. How could it, when Louis was so broken? How did the world keep spinning when Louis' own universe had crumbled around him? It didn't seem right.

Eventually, the taste of the inside of his mouth was enough to get him out of his bed.

His teeth brushed, and fresh out of the shower, he walked down the creaky stairs of the house Harry and he once shared. Into the kitchen, where the dishes sat clean but untouched. Louis didn't use them. They were meant for home cooked meals, not the take-out Louis ordered, or the microwaved meals that were the only thing Louis knew how to make.

He put on the kettle and waited, empty, unfeeling, or at least as much as he was able to. Louis was emotional, threw fits, screamed, yelled, just as he did the night Harry left. But that had been months ago, and Louis was all out of emotional responses. All that was left was the living shell, and even that was questionable.

The kettle squealed, and Louis poured it into his tea, and took a sip, bitter. He hadn't had sugar or cream in his tea since Harry had left.

The house was like him, Louis thought. An empty husk, something that needed someone to breathe life into it.

He gathered a blanket on the couch, a movie in the player, and settled in for another day of movies, and maybe, writing.

That had always been his escape. To sit and write a bit, his fingers moving over the keys, letting any emotion that lived inside him leak out into a universe of his creation. To bring life to characters previously unknown, to invoke feelings in anyone that would read.

The phone rang, but Louis didn't answer. He hadn't answered to anyone in months. If they wanted to talk to him, they would come. And they did, occassionally, but mostly, they left him to drown in his own depression, like he wanted. He almost wished the depression alone would be enough to kill him.

A knock, muted, just like the sunlight. And just like the sunlight, he wished it wasn't there at all.

He let the intruder open the door, let in a gust of cool air, enough to make him shiver.

"Louis?" Zayn called, his accent making it sound like 'Loueh'.

"Zayn," he responded, not looking away from the movie he didn't care enough about to actually know the name. It was something Harry had left.

"Lou," Zayn said from the end of the couch, his tone disbelieving and condescending, and Louis didn't have enough in him to snap at the tone.

He looked up at him with hollow eyes, the blue having seeped away to leave only hazy grey as he stared up at Zayn's carmel colored eyes.

"Lou," Zayn repeated, "you can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not healthy."

"I know," Louis said, but it was empty. He knew it in his head, but he didn't have any other way to cope. This was all there was. Just this house and him.

"Come on. Get dressed. I'm taking you out," Zayn said, and Louis stared at him.

"Come on, Lou," Zayn said.

"I can't," Louis said, because he _couldn't_. He couldn't leave this house. He couldn't go out there, not without Harry. He swore he wouldn't leave until Harry came back.

He swore.

"You can, and you will. Just for a little while, Lou. I gotta go shopping, and I need you to come with me," Zayn said.

Louis looked at him, narrowed his eyes. "You hate shopping," he said, his voice accusatory, which was better to Zayn than empty.

"I really do, mate, that's why you gotta come with me," he said.

Louis hesitated. He didn't know if he could do it. If he could leave.

"Please, Lou," Zayn pleaded, and Louis got off the couch.

"Just for a bit," he said, tone brooking no arguement, but there was an undercurrent of fear, nervousness.

He put on a loose t-shirt and skinnys. The shirt had belonged to Harry, and Louis hoped that Harry would forgive him when he came back.

"Alright," he said, and Zayn pushed him outside, out into the cool, bitter air.

The mall was too busy. There were too many people there, and for the first time, Louis wondered how he had ever enjoyed this. Being surrounded on every side by strangers. It faded when Zayn dragged him into the first shop, and Louis found himself almost enjoying himself by the seventh store.

"You hungry?" Zayn asked.

Louis nodded, and hoped that the happiness would go away. He didn't want to be happy. It was all wrong if Harry wasn't here.

They bought McDonald's, something small, because Louis didn't eat well enough anymore to eat big meals.

"Oi, Zayn," the voice said, irish accent thick and friendly, and Louis looked up to see blonde hair and blue eyes, all bright and happy, and he hated it.

"Niall, it's good to see you," Zayn said, all smiles, and it pissed Louis off.

It was strange after so long, to feel something aside from sad, or empty. It chafed on his nerves, made him angrier.

"Who's this?" Louis asked, but it was more of a snap.

Zayn looked at him as though he had forgotten him, and it made Louis want to scream.

"Oh, Louis, this is Niall," he said, and it came out 'nahl', "Niall, this is Louis." 

"Eh, mate, nice to meet you," he said, smiling, extending his hand.

Louis was pissed, and he hated that this boy, this stranger, could be so happy, so he did what he would have done before he was broken, and slapped his hand away, glaring. "Whatever, fuck you. I'm leaving, Zayn. Have fun with your friend," he spit, and got up in a huff, storming out into the cold London air.

"Louis!" Zayn called, apologizing to Niall, who stood there confused and interested.

"Louis!" he called again, and Louis spun around.

"What?" he snapped.

"What the hell was that? Why are you so angry?" he asked, and Louis knew that even if he explained it, Zayn wouldn't get it. They were best mates, but he knew Zayn would never quite understand him.

Not like Harry.

He sighed, and the anger seeped out of him. He couldn't hold it like he used to, and it gave way to emptiness once again.

"I'm tired. I want to go home," he said.

Zayn nodded, but didn't look convinced. At least he didn't ask any questions.

The ride home was quiet, and Zayn kept stealing glances at him, but he supposed that was okay. He was surprised by himself too.

The house was comforting. Totaly still, holding it's breath, and it reminded Louis of what he was waiting for.

He dropped onto the sofa, streching out, staring at the ceiling, and he wanted to write.

He went into the computer room, everything absolutely still, even more than the rest of the house. He hadn't been in here in exactly three months, and it showed.

He sat in the chair, and it still held the groove that he had put into it over the course of several years. The computer came to life in front of him, a word document opening automatically, an empty page, waiting to be filled with thoughts and ideas and emotions.

He wrote of blue eyes and hatred until the sun rose.

\----------

A week or so passed before Zayn came back.

"Louis?" he called.

"In here," Louis called, and this time, he watched Zayn walk in .

"I, um, brought someone," he said, voice hesitant.

"Who?" Louis asked, but he had a sinking feeling he knew who it was.

"Louis?" Liam called, walking in.

"Hey, Liam," Louis said, and he was enveloped in a giant hug.

Liam had always been the mother hen, the care-taker, and Louis knew that he had been worrying. Louis had explained his absence away as working on a story, so he couldn't be interrupted, but he knew well that that would only tide Liam over for a while. In all honesty, he was surprised it had worked for this long.

"How have you been? Zayn said you're not doing well. You should have called me, I would have come over with all sorts of comfort food and movies and we could have just..." he said, but Louis was no longer listening.

It wasn't that he didn't love Liam, he did. He was the brother he had always wanted, the best mate he wished he had grown up with. He was just overbearing, and it drove Louis up a wall.

"It's fine, Li. I'm fine," he said, because he hated upsetting Liam.

"That's good," Liam said, smiling. "I actually came to tell you some good news."

"Yeah? What's that?" Louis asked.

Liam smiled as bright as the sun. "I've found someone," he said, and Louis looked at Zayn.

He smiled.

Louis smiled at Liam, though he knew it fell short of what it used to be. "That's great, Li. 'M so proud of you. So, when do I get to meet them?"

"I was hoping today. He said he'd come if it was okay by you. I told him you wouldn't mind, but he said to find out anyway," Liam said.

Louis smiled, and tried harder to make it right. "'Course, Li. He can come," Louis said.

Liam smiled brightly, and pulled out his phone, sending a text. 

"Anything I should know about him?" Louis asked Zayn.

Zayn smirked widely. "Yeah. You met him yesterday."

\----------

Louis stayed on the opposite side of the room from Niall. He didn't understand it, but Niall seemed to bring out reactions in him that only Harry had been able to pull from him, and it wasn't okay with Louis.

"So, Louis, what do you think of Niall?" Liam asked, smiling up at Niall, who had his arm around Liam's shoulders.

"He's okay, I guess," Louis said, trying to not upset Liam, and still convey to Niall _he didn't want him here_.

Liam smiled happily up at Niall, who was stealing glances at Louis out of the corner of his eye. 

Niall really didn't understand why Louis disliked him. Literally all he had done was try to introduce himself and come to his house (with his permission), and all Louis did was avoid him like the plague.

He just didn't get it.

"Well, we've been here plenty long enough. Come on, Zayn. I'll give you a ride home so Louis can have some alone time," Liam said, and Niall stood.

He watched Liam hug Louis, like a worried mom would probably hug her son. It made Niall wonder if he was missing something big.

He climbed into his truck, and followed Liam back to the flat he shared with Zayn. The music played in the background, something sad, but aggressively so. It reminded him of Louis.

He let Liam pull him out of his truck and into the house, straight into his bedroom.

"Hey," he said, pressing his lips against Niall's. Niall smiled.  
"Hey," he responded.  
"So," Liam asked, pressing his lips against Niall's jawline, "what did you think of Lou?"

"He's something," Niall said, then smiled at Liam, all seduction and promise of carnal pleasure. "But how about we pay attention to you, yeah?"

Liam only smiled.

\----------

Louis dropped onto the couch, covering his face with his hands. Why did it have to be him? Of all the people Liam chose to date, why this one?

Louis guessed he understood. They worked well together, the two of them. All smiles and happy. And it pissed Lou off. Not only that, but it reminded him of what he and Harry used to be. It hurt.

He sat down in his writing room again. He didn't actually write anything for a while. A while turned to several hours, and soon, several hours became all night. And then, when Louis could see the sun shining through the window, he began typing.

_It was a Wednesday when I met him. He was slow, young grace, the type of boy you dreamed about. Perfect._

His fingers paused.

_The coffee shop he worked in was temporary. A place he worked only for a little bit of time. He wanted to be a singer._

Pause.

_I was smitten with him. He was everything I needed. Smiles and happy and the things they talk about. He was always right there, pressed against me, keeping me sane. Keeping me in touch with reality. I got so sucked into the stories I wrote that I needed someone who lived firmly on the ground, was anchored to reality. Someone who could keep me anchored in reality._

Pause, a ragged breath.

_We were perfect for three years. We existed seperate in our house, one that creaked and groaned, but we loved it, because it needed to be loved. Just like us._   
_He started to be gone more. He would stay out late, wouldn't come home until two, three in the morning, and he always smelled like alcohol, and cologne. Cologne that wasn't his._

_I let it lie. Let him stay out late, and come home smelling like someone else for six months. Six long months, and I hated it_ _._

Louis heard a knock at the front door, but he ignored it. He kept his eyes glued to the computer screen, though his vision was getting blurry.

_Finally, I asked him. Asked why he was out so late, why he smelled like someone else's cologne, why he wouldn't touch me anymore. He told me. I almost wished he hadn't. Wished I had let it be._

_"My mom died, Lou. I've been with her husband. Wait. Did you think I was cheating?"_

_I didn't know how to tell him yes._

_"I can't believe you! How could you even think I would do that? Do you just not trust me that much?"_

_I fumbled for an answer that wasn't 'No, I didn't trust you'._

_"I can't believe you Lou," he said, and I watched him pack his bags._

_I plead with him. Begged him to stay, swore that I trusted him, he just never said anything, and I was afraid._

_"I won't be the bad guy this time, Lou. I won't do it," he said, and then he was gone. He got in his car, and he left, never to be seen again._

Something like a sob left Louis' lips, but he pushed forward. The story was almost done. Maybe of he could finish it, he could feel better. Maybe he could hate himself less.

_I waited everyday for him to come back home. Harry was forgiving, and he would come back. He /had/ to come back. But days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, and it was still me, alone in this house, empty, waiting for him to come back. We needed him to come back. /I/ needed him to come back. I couldn't do it without him. Couldn't survive without him._

Louis was silent, still, reading the story. It felt incomplete. It needed a happy ending. It needed someone who could come in and save him, be his prince in shining armor.

But this wasn't a story Louis had written. This was reality, and as much as it hurt Louis, he knew that. It had become painfully real to him when Harry had left him in this house, alone.

A knock at the door of his writing room. 

Louis wiped his eyes and opened the door to reveal Niall of all people, and Louis knew he couldn't hate him. Couldn't hate anyone but himself. But he understood that Harry wasn't coming to back, and that if the pieces of himself were going to be picked up, he was going to have to do it himself. So he did what he would have done before Harry had come and left. He wrapped his arms around Niall, because he had gone too long without touch. He needed it, or he was going to drown.

He didn't want to drown anymore.

Niall held him, confused but quiet, and waited while Louis cried his eyes out.

\----------

Louis sat quiet on his couch, letting Liam fuss over him, making him tea, letting Zayn watch him worriedly from across the room, and clinging to Niall like a lifeline.

Niall had stayed quiet. He didn't quite know what to do about Louis. Liam had come in after a moment, and his face had been so worried, so afraid, that he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to admit that he was glad that Louis had fell on him for comfort (though he wasn't surprised), but he didn't worry enough to push Louis away, either. All he could do was let Louis cling to him like he was some sort of salvation, something that could save him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Liam asked, handing Louis a cup of tea filled with cream and sugar.

Louis sipped it, eyes downcast. "I didn't want you to worry about me," he mumbled.

"So you've been waiting four months for him to come back?" Liam asked, and Niall couldn't even believe it. He couldn't imagine waiting for anyone that long, let alone someone who hadn't even given him a chance to explain himself. It was impressive, and horrifying. To wait for that long for someone who wasn't coming home again.

Niall wanted to fix it.

Louis nodded, and Liam cooed apologies and promises of comfort to him while Niall held him tighter, trying to think of something to say, but Niall had never been one for words. He went by actions, so he pulled Louis into him, trying to return warmth into Louis' cool body.

He held him until he went to sleep, and then he let Zayn take his place, telling him to go talk to Liam, he's freaking out.

He went out onto the patio, looking at Liam who was curled in on himself a bit from the cold London air, his expression that of concern and sadness.

He hugged Niall, and Niall hugged back, letting Liam spill all that worry and sadness into him, taking it so he could feel better. After all, that was what Niall did. He was built for comfort, for warmth, for making things better. He had always been that, and he would always be that, he knew. He would always be someone that people used to feel better, then left when they were done with him.

"I don't understand why he wouldn't tell me. He's been avoiding me for _four months_. Am I just a bad friend?" Liam asked.

"'Course not, Li. He just 'probly didn't know how to talk about it," he said.

Liam looked at him, his eyes searching. "Then why did he go to you?" he asked, and Niall went a bit defensive.

"Li, we've been over this. People just seem to want to go to me for comfort. I don't get myself into these situations intentionally," he said.

Liam sighed, and shook his head. "I know, I do. It's just... I wish he would have come to me, ya know? That he could have talked to me about it," he said, burying his face in Niall's shoulder.

"I know, Li, I know," he said, and he really wished it wasn't a lie.

\----------

Over the course of a few weeks, Louis began to recover. Life began to fill him back up, and it all started with the house.

Louis stared at the half dead living room, something that had hints of Harry in it everywhere, from the music magazines on the coffee table to the unused piano in the back corner, and he knew he couldn't keep living like this.

He got rid of the magazines, things he never read, would never read. He reorganized so all his things sat at the forefront, vacuumed the couch cushions and threw them on the floor to be scrubbed, because they still smelled like Harry's cologne. Hell, everything still smelled like Harry's cologne, and Louis wondered if it wouldn't be healthiest to move away. Move somewhere where it didn't smell like Harry, where his scent didn't linger everywhere, but Louis knew that was an impossibility. He needed this house, needed it to write. Even if it was just because he needed to keep his writing room to actually acomplish anything, he was going to stay.

He really needed to buy air freshener, though.

The kitchen was hardest. Louis had never really cooked,he had left that to Harry, who was actually an exceptional cook (Louis had always said if nothing else, Harry would make a great chef). So he really didn't know where anything was, or where to put the dishes that had been clean but unused.

Eventually, he gave up, and pulled absolutely everything out. Made it so all the cabinets and drawers were empty, and then began to put everything away. Put them in the places that made most sense to him, and eventually, everything was put away, and the kitchen seemed to be able to breathe again, as though it had been waiting all this time just for someone to use it.

Louis used three bottles of air freshener throughout the house, until all it smelled like was meadows and rain, like the bottles said.

The bedroom was simple really, so Louis left it for last. He completely removed the covers and sheets and the mattress cover, because he knew Harry's scent would never come out of them. They would stay embedded forever, so Louis would have to buy something new.

He walked around the house when he was done, breathing deeply, taking in all the rooms and how they seemed to have come back to life. It was alive again, and it creaked, and groaned, but Louis still loved it, just as much as the day he and Harry had picked it out. It was his home, and it always would be, come what may.

\----------

Niall was over a lot, Louis noticed. He came over all the time, sometimes with Liam, sometimes with Zayn, sometimes with both, but most of the time, he came alone.

"Hey, mate. Was talkin' to Liam, and he said you liked FIFA," Niall said the first time he came alone, all smiles and carefree laughter.

"Yeah, man," Louis said, because he had.

"Was thinking we could play, yeah? I brought the new one and my controller," he said, and Louis nodded, and slowly began to grin.

"I hope you know I'm a master at this game," he said, and Niall grinned at him, totally ease.

"Whatever, mate. Let's see if you play as good as you talk," he said, and they did.

Louis found it strange how very _easy_  it was to get along with Niall. He didn't care when he talked shit when they hung out, or get all annoyed like Liam did when he twisted his nipples (he had really missed doing that). He didn't glance worriedly at him out of the corner of his eye like Zayn did, and he wasn't Harry, but Louis thought he might be falling for him anyway. Which was definitely not okay, 'cause this was _Liam's boyfriend_. He wasn't just some random guy. Louis didn't even understand how it was possible that he could even _think_  about Niall like that when Liam had only ever been an amazing friend to him.

Even more horrifying to Louis, how could he even think it when he had and Harry hadn't even had a decent goodbye?

He was confused, and guilty, but he was selfish too, so he kept inviting Niall back with promises of food and video games (really, it was mostly the food), and while he was gone, he wrote a story about a boy with a broken heart, and a boy with bright blue eyes.

\----------

"Niall, I think we need to talk," Liam said, and Niall started to wonder what was up now.

Liam had been getting angry with him quite a bit lately. It was always little things, like throwing away what he thought was trash but was really something Liam needed, or for getting in too late from work (he was just chatting with his boss, honest).

"What about, Li?" Niall asked.

Liam looked guilty. "First, I wanted to apologize for being so short with you lately. It's not your fault on most of it, and I've been overreacting," he said.

"It's fine, Li," Niall said, smiling, but he could feel it. The pressure of bad news yet to come.

"I don't think we should be seeing each other anymore, Ni," Liam said, looking guilty.

Niall nodded slowly, waiting for the explanation.

"It's just, we were never really that serious, and I love being around you, but I'm not..." he said, trailing off.

"You're not _in_  love with me," Niall finished, because he wasn't blind. He saw how Liam looked at Zayn, and how Zayn looked back at him. He knew he was a replacement.

Liam nodded, and Niall smiled at him.

"If it makes you feel any better, I felt the same. We... we aren't right for each other, not that way. You'll always be my best mate, but you're meant for someone with black hair that smells like cigarettes," Niall said, grinning at him.

Liam smiled, and it didn't look so guilty. "Yeah. Best mates," he said. Then he frowned. "Wait, what about you? Aren't you meant for someone?" he asked.

Niall looked up at the cloudy sky, lips pursed slightly. "'M pretty sure I'm meant for someone with grey-blue eyes and a broken heart," he said, and looked at Liam to see if that was okay.

Liam smiled at him. "Yeah. I think so too."

\----------

"Lou?" Niall called, but Louis was in his writing room, typing away.

His publisher had called him, telling him they were thinking that they should get a new book in, and if he could get in a few chapters of something new, they'd be pretty happy.

So, Louis had been sitting in his desk for two days straight, getting up only to use the bathroom and get more food. He had gotten into a groove, and he had almost finished a second chapter in just two days.

Niall knocked on the door, but Louis ignored him. He was almost done with this chapter, just a few more paragraphs.

Niall opened the door, and saw him working, dark circles under his eyes, shaking a touch from cold (really, the room was _fucking freezing_ ), and crap food strewn across the floor.

"Lou," Niall said, and Louis started shaking just a little more.

"I'm almost done with this chapter, just one more paragraph, I swear," he said, and Niall nodded.

"Alright. I'm raiding your fridge, yeah?" 

Louis nodded absently. He had gotten used to buying extra groceries for when Niall came that it was practically second nature.

Niall walked into the kitchen, thinking. He was pretty sure Liam had told him about the break-up (if it could even be called that), but Louis hadn't seemed anything but completely focused on his writing.

Niall wondered how long he had been writing. He looked proper exhausted, like he had been missing sleep, and Niall wondered how long he should give Louis before he burst in there and dragged him bodily away.

Niall decided he would give him ten minutes. If he wasn't done by then, it sucked for him.

Nine minutes (and seventeen seconds, but don't tell anyone he was counting) later, Louis came stumbling into the kitchen like he had been dead.

"How long were you in there?" Niall asked, snacking on crackers.

Louis shrugged. "'Bout 48 hours, give or take," he said.

"Have you slept at all?" Niall asked.

"Not that I remember," was the response Niall got, and he grabbed Louis by the wrist and dragged him toward the massive couch.

"What...?" Louis began.

"You're taking a nap. You look proper exhausted, mate," Niall said, and it was a struggle to say mate instead of babe.

"I'm fine," Louis lied. "Besides, I'm hungry."

"I'll make you something. Just sleep for like a half hour, yeah? You look like you're going to collapse anyway, might as well be comfortable," Niall said, and Louis really couldn't fault that logic.

He grumbled anyway, but was out like a light within a minute.

Niall smiled at him, taking in how peaceful he looked when he slept, how the light shined on him kinda like a halo, the softness of his curves, which were exceptional, especially on a boy. Hell, even how the set of his lips spoke of the sassiness he possesed and weilded whenever anyone was around.

Niall didn't think Louis would be waking up anytime soon, so he grabbed a controller and set the tv on mute, and played FIFA until Louis woke up.

\----------

When Louis opened his eyes, the sunlight was gone.

He jerked up, worried he had slept a whole day, and finally saw Niall grinning at him from the floor, a game paused and a controller in his hand.

"Hey, Lou. Welcome back to the living," he said, and Louis looked outside.

No, it wasn't nighttime yet, though that would come soon. It was just cloudy, he saw.

"How long have I been out?" he asked, cause there was still the possibility he had slept a whole day plus some.

"'Bout six hours," Niall said, sounding all chill.

Louis nodded, then grimaced. "Sorry," he said, but Niall was already shaking his head.

"It's fine. I already raided your fridge a couple times, so I figure we're even," he said, and Louis nodded. 

"So, watcha want for dinner?" Niall asked, setting down the controller.

Louis looked at him funny.

Niall laughed, loud and obnoxious, and kinda cute, Louis thought. "I promised I'd make you food when you got up, didn't I?" Niall asked, grinning widely. Louis didn't know if Niall could do anything but grin at this point. Or laugh. He supposed Niall was good at laughing too.

"We could just order take-away," Louis suggested.

Niall shook his head. "Nah, I'll cook. Chicken sound good?" he asked, and Louis nodded.

He followed Niall into the kitchen, and watched as he moved around the kitchen like it was his own, pulling out pans until he found the one that barely fit in Louis' oven, and pulled out the whole bag of chicken, and all sorts of seasoning, most of which Louis didn't even know how to pronounce, let alone why he had them at all.

"It's gonna take a while. Chicken takes a while to cook right," Niall said, and Louis nodded. Harry had always been more of a pasta person, so stuff like chicken or steak or any good meat was few and far between.

Louis really needed to stop comparing him to Harry.

"So, 'm thinking we eat some crap food while we wait. Anything you like?" Niall asked. "'Cause I can get it."

"I want crisps," Louis said, and watched Niall move to the snack cupboard, which looked much more full than it had last time Louis had looked.

He glanced at Niall questioningly.

Niall glanced at the cupboard, then laughed. "Yeah, I stopped by the store. Figured since I eat here so much, I should at least bring some food in," he said, and Louis blinked, surprised.

"What do you do anyway, Niall?" Louis asked, because he realized that he had no idea what Niall did for a living.

Niall shrugged. "Not much. I play guitar, I sing, I write music. You know, just basic stuff. You know that song 'What makes you beautiful'?" he asked.

Louis nodded.

"Well, I wrote it," Niall said, and Louis looked at him with wide eyes.

"Not bad," he said, though he was very impressed.

Niall grinned, ignoring the slight insult in Louis' tone. He had long grown used to the fact that Louis was terrible at giving praise.

"So, I was thinking we could watch some movies, you know, chill out," Niall said, and watched Louis' brow furrow.

"Sure, I guess, but don't you usually go out with Liam?" Louis asked, and Niall flinched.

"Liam and I aren't together anymore," he said, looking away. He wasn't going to be able to look at Louis without flushing with embarrasment.

"What happened?" Louis asked, but he wasn't stupid. He knew Liam had been in love with Zayn forever.

"Eh, nothing really. We just... we wanted something different," he said.

Louis smiles sadly. "Zayn, right?" he asked.

Niall nodded, then smiled wide at Louis. "Come on, let me stay the night? I'll go shopping with you tomorrow. I won't even complain," he said, pleading, eyes wide, reminding Louis of a puppy.

He hesitated, but finally sighed heavily. "Fine, whatever. You can stay," he said, and it was made worth it when Niall lit up, like his almost sun.

"I've got a guest room. It's not much, but it's something," Louis said, and Niall smiled.

"Alright, I'll grab some movies," Niall said.

"I want an action. Something with explosions and fist fights, yeah?" Louis asked, though it was more of a command.

"'Course, Lou. Anything you want," Niall said, and Louis decided he liked how Niall said his name.

They settled down in a nest of blankets (well, Louis did. Niall was a fucking furnace) and watched movies until the chicken was ready, and then they watched more until it was one in the morning and they were both good and tired, and a little drunk, not thinking straight.

"Lou?" Niall asked, pulling another two beers from the fridge.

"What, Nialler?" Louis asked, much more friendly and cuddly then he had been just a few hours ago.

Niall smiled. "That's a new one. I like it," he said.

Louis smiled. "Thanks. Made it myself," he said, then laughed.

Niall laughed with him, loud and carefree. "I wanted to ask you something, but I'm not sure if I should. You might not be happy with me," he said when they stopped, his face going serious.

Louis tensed, but nodded. "'S okay. You can ask. Can't promise I'll answer, though."

"I was wondering how you could wait for him so long. You literally dropped everything and waited for him for four months, and I don't understand why," Niall said, and watched Louis' reaction.

Louis seemed to think about it, but he stayed tense. "He... he was my everything. My whole world depended on him at that point, 'cause I didn't know how to hold back. Still don't know how. So, when he left, I didn't know how to survive without him anymore. That, and I think part of it is that I never got a proper goodbye. He just left, no goodbye, no break-up, just gone."

Louis curled tight in on himself, and Niall could see the slight tremble in his hands, so he wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in Louis' hair.

"'M sorry, Lou," he said.

Louis gripped tighter to Niall, cuddling deeper into his embrace, into his warmth. Louis hadn't  been warm in a long time. He used to be warm, really warm, and Harry had needed to cool him, but he just couldn't seem to hold heat anymore.

Niall was heat and warmth and comfort and happy all in one entity. He was exactly what Louis needed, and Louis wondered how long it would be before he fell completely in love with this boy with his blue eyes and sunshiny smile.

Niall held him, and he wondered how anyone could leave Louis. He was bright and loud and funny. His eyes changed color all the time, and he was demanding and sassy, and he fit perfectly in Niall's arms. It seemed like such a stupid thing for anyone to leave to leave him, but he found himself happy. Happy in a guilty way, because yeah, Louis had been hurt, and alone, but if he hadn't, Niall never would have met him and been able to make a place for himself in Louis' life.

"'M sorry that I was such a dick when I met you," Louis said, and his voice sounded sleepy.

Niall laughed softly. "It's alright," he said, stroking Louis' feathery hair, laying back so Louis was resting on his chest, his eyes closed and his breath evening out.

Niall watched him, and he knew he was already in love with this boy who wrote stories and had his head in the clouds, who didn't sleep right or eat, who had stolen his heart, something that Niall had never had happen. He had had crushes, but he had never been really truly in love with someone. Looking at Louis, he knew that that was never going to be true again. And he found that he was okay with that, just so long as he got to keep him.

\----------

One night turned to two, then three, and then a week, and then two, and then a month.

Niall slowly moved his stuff in, and Louis kept finding Niall's things everywhere. He didn't mind, not at all. In fact, he couldn't help but smile when he saw Niall's favorite foods in his fridge, or his cologne on his bathroom counter, or his guitar on it's stand in his living room. It made him happy, though he still pretended to be annoyed when Niall was around.

Niall had been careful. He had slowly moved himself into the house, but Louis didn't seem to mind. He had even caught him smiling when he saw the guitar, though he huffed when he noticed Niall standing there.

Niall was just happy. Louis was a cuddler, so he would constantly wrap around Niall whenever he was still, whether it be while he was playing FIFA or playing his guitar, or cooking something for them to eat (Niall had noticed he was getting really good at cooking because Louis had a tendency to burn meat).

It had become a habit for Niall to sleep in Louis' bed, even.

"The guest mattress is shit. I can't make you sleep on it, and the couch isn't big enough," he said, even though that's where the both of them had woken that first morning.

So, really, it wasn't just Louis' house anymore. It was their house, and their bed, and Louis was starting to notice.

"Hey Niall?" he asked while Niall was ordering pizza.

"Just a second, 'kay? Yeah, two. Extra sauce. Sure, we'll take buffalo wings. No soda. Okay, bye," he said, and smiled at Louis. "What's up?"

"Don't you have an apartment?" Louis asked.

Niall shrugged, but his smile dimmed. "Yeah. You want me to go home?"

Louis frowned. He didn't know how to say it, tell Niall he wanted him to stay, without giving too much away.

But then again, he had had several chances to leave, didn't he? Louis wasn't making him stay, it was his choice. It gave him hope.

"Nah. I was just thinking, you know, since you're always here anyway you might as well stay. Seems silly for you to pay rent when you're never there," he said, looking away, blushing.

Niall grinned widely, happy. He hugged him, tight.

"Thanks, Lou," he said, and he almost wished he was better at words.

Almost.

"Whatever. Go get me my crisps, peasant," he said.

Niall grinned at him, but did as he asked, because he didn't mind. He was okay with playing servant a bit if it meant he could stay.

"Your majesty," he said as he handed the crisps to Louis.

Louis took the crisps from Niall, then pulled him onto the couch with him.

"Hey Louis?" Niall asked.

"Hmm?" he asked, still watching the tv screen.

"Thank you," he said, and Louis blushed.

"Your welcome," he said, and Niall had never felt more complete.

\----------

"Alright, all done," Niall said, dragging Louis out of his writing room.

"Come on, just one more chapter," Louis said, trying to get out of Niall's grip.

"Nope. You've been in that room for twenty-four hours straight. You need to eat and you need to sleep," Niall said, sitting him down at the table.

Louis pouted, but he stayed there, waiting for Niall to put his food in front of him.

Louis was surprised to realize that in the month he had asked Niall to stay, he was much healthier. Niall didn't let him get away with three day straight writing sessions, which really was healthy, because Louis knew he could get really obsessive. He was also eating better, sleeping better, and getting more exercise, because Niall always wanted to go clubbing, which included lots and lots of dancing. 

Niall put a plate of steak and potatoes in front of Louis and sat across from him, eating his own plate.

"Nialler?" Louis asked.

"Mmhmm?" He responded around a full mouth.

"I was thinking that tomorrow we could go out to that new bar. It's supposed to have great music," Louis said, and Niall grinned.

"Yeah, Lou. We can go out tomorrow," he said, and dug back in.

When they were done, Niall pulled him into bed, laying down with him because Louis refused to sleep unless Niall stayed and slept with him (Louis claimed it was only fair, but they both knew it was because he just got cold, and he wanted him there).

Sleep came easy to both of them, since Niall had taken to staying up as long as Louis was awake.

"I'll make you a deal, you can stay up as long as I can stay up, okay?" Niall had said, and Louis figured that was fair enough.

When morning came, Niall was in bed alone, the sheets still slightly warm, and the smell of bacon coming up the stairs.

When he got downstairs, he saw Louis in the kitchen scrambling eggs, a very large plate of un-burned bacon sitting on the counter.

"Did you make this?" Niall asked, nearly drooling at it.

Louis smiled at him. "Yeah. Figured I should learn to cook in case you disappear, ya know?" Louis said.

Niall frowned. "Do you think I'm going to leave?"

Louis didn't like that. He didn't like when Niall frowned. Niall wasn't meant to frown.

"I don't want you to," Louis said, and he hoped, _prayed_ , that Niall wouldn't react like Harry had, and leave him. "I just... I don't want to fall apart if I'm left alone again. I want to be able to take care of myself."

He was tense, so very tense, waiting for Niall to yell, to scream, to tell him he wasn't going to stay.

Suddenly, Niall was wrapped around his shoulders, nuzzling into his neck. "I'm glad you're learning this, and that you're thinking about your future, but you don't have to worry. I don't think I could bring myself to leave anymore. It's a bit too late now," he said.

"Why's that?" Louis asked, breath coming in just a touch shaky.

Niall grinned. He turned Louis' head toward him, his fingers calloused from playing guitar.

"Because, Louis, I'm quite sure that I'm in love with you," he said, still grinning, though he was nervous.

It was exactly what Louis wanted to hear. So, he turned in Niall's arms, and looked straight into his eyes, leaned in...

And slapped him across the face.

Niall looked at him in shock.

Louis grinned at him. "Seriously, Niall. I can barely cook as it is. I really can't do with distractions," he said.

Niall stared at him in disbelief for another moment, and then he was laughing, laughing so hard he couldn't breathe, and finally he collapsed to the floor, his face beet red while Louis put the eggs in the pan.

When he could finally breathe again, he looked up at Louis with a dopey smile. "So Lou, are you in love with me too?" he asked.

Louis blushed but kept his eyes on the food, because lord knew if he looked away for a minute, it was going to start on fire. "I asked you to live here with me, didn't I?"

Niall just kept grinning up at him, watching him make eggs (a bit drier than Niall was used to), until finally, they were allowed to eat.

"This is good, Lou. You did really great," Niall praised, and Louis smirked smugly.

He was putting the leftovers away (he hadn't expected there to be any left over), and he turned around, right into Niall, and a kiss.

It was over before he could really react, and he was looking at Niall's smiling face.

"Thanks, Lou," he said.

Louis just stared at him a moment, and then smirked and leaned up to kiss him again, because really, it was easy. Easy to love him, easy to be wrapped up in him, easy to kiss him, because he didn't try to make a big deal of it, not like Harry did. And maybe that was why he and Harry had fallen apart. Maybe it was because Louis needed someone more like Niall.

\----------

It was a week after that first kiss that Liam and Zayn finally showed up at Louis' house.

"Louis?" Zayn called, hearing the sounds of FIFA, and Louis trash talking someone.

"We're in the living room!" he called. "Oh! What now!"

Liam and Zayn came in to see Niall laughing and Louis standing up, throwing his controller on the couch.

"I win! Told you I was a master,"

Niall smiled at him crooked. "Lou, this is the first game you've won. Ever."

"Silence, peasant. I won, so go fetch me my crisps. And start tea," he said.

Niall rolled his eyes, but got up. "Yes, your majesty," he said, and placed a quick kiss on Louis' lips.

Louis grinned at Zayn and Liam's reactions.

Zayn's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head in all honesty. His mouth was slightly ajar, and his expression was that of pure and utter shock.  
Liam on the other hand, he looked like he was about to burst of happiness. 

"Hey guys. How you been?" Louis asked.

Zayn's face was starting to morph from shock to happiness, though he was not as excited as Liam.

"Pretty good. We missed you," he said, smiling.

Louis threw himself at Zayn, wrapping around him tightly, because he loved Zayn, and he liked to touch people he loved. "Aww, I missed you too! Been too long, but it's okay. I just assumed you guys were having sex all the time," he said, and watched as they sputtered in embarrassment, their faces turning red.

"We weren't!" Liam exclaimed, looking absolutely scandalized. "We just figured since you said you had a book we should leave you alone. By the way, how's that been going?"

"Pretty great. I'm at chapter nineteen, pre-edit," he said, grinning.

"How many chapters you think?" Zayn asked.

Louis shrugged. "Don't know. Thirty-ish?" he said.

Zayn nodded, then glanced in the kitchen, seeing Niall still waiting for the water to boil. "So, how long you two been together?" he asked.

Louis shrugged again. "He's been living here two months," he said, hoping it would distract them, be answer enough.

Zayn always could see right through him.

"That's not a real answer, Lou," he said.

"We aren't actually together. We just... are, ya know? It doesn't really matter to me," he said, because it really didn't. Louis was okay with this, just so long as Niall stayed.

Liam smiled. "I'm glad you found someone, Lou. You deserve to be happy," he said, and Louis grinned.

"Thanks, Li," he said, and moved in as though for a hug, but twisted his nipples instead.

"Louis!" he exclaimed, exasperated.

Louis just grinned, and went to the kitchen, taking his tea cup.

"Thanks for the help, Lou," Niall called sarcastically as he handed Liam and Zayn their tea.

Louis only grinned. "Of course, love," he responded.

Niall rolled his eyes, but continued to smile.

"So, I brought my Dave Matthews CD, and I thought we could listen and play some video games, yeah?" Zayn asked.

"Really, Malik? Do you even have to ask?" Louis responded.

Zayn only smiled.

\----------

When Liam and Zayn left, Liam had three love bites, Zayn had one, and Louis was very, very content with life.

"It was nice they came to visit," Niall said, his arm draped over Louis' shoulders.

"Yeah," Louis responded.

Niall grinned down at him. "I was thinking we could go out tonight, grab a pint somewhere."

Louis pretended to think, though they both knew Louis would say yes.

"Alright, but I want chicken for dinner," Louis said, and Niall laughed.

"I was actually thinking I'd make pasta. Haven't made it in a while," he said, and unlike before, Louis didn't immediately think of Harry.

"Fine, but it better be good," he said, though it was really just to save face. He knew it would be amazing, like everything Niall made.

"Yes, your majesty," Niall said, and Louis would have said something about his tone if he didn't deserve it so much.

He watched Niall cook because really, he just liked watching Niall. He was fascinated by him constantly, from the way he moved to how his voice sounded at two in the morning.

"Don't you ever get sick of watching me?" Niall asked.

"Nope," Louis responded, popping the 'p'.

Niall glanced up at him. "You mind if I ask you a question?" he asked, and Louis nodded.

"Well, I was wondering what you would do if you saw Harry again," he said, quiet.

Louis thought about it. What _would_  he do if he saw Harry again? Once, he would have begged his forgivness, tried to bring him back, but now... Harry no longer belonged in this house. He no longer fit here, in this house that Louis had noticed was starting to smell like Niall, where the piano was actually used and the guitar sat in a corner, polished nicely, Dave Matthews in the CD player (Harry never could properly appreciate him).

"I really don't know, Niall. Before, I'd have dragged him home and tied him up so he could never leave again, but... he doesn't belong here anymore. This house isn't meant for him anymore," he said.

Niall studied him, taking in his words, what they meant. Tried to figure out the question.

"Who is this house meant for, Lou?" he asked, and he knew it shouldn't be so important, but Niall had seen Louis before, when he would have given literally anything to bring Harry back, no matter the personal cost.

"It's meant for a boy with blue eyes and blonde hair. It's meant for Dave Matthews and an acoustic guitar. It's meant for sunshiny smiles and really, obnoxiously loud laughter. It's meant for you, Niall. For both of us," he said, because it was true. 

Niall let go of the breath he was holding, and wrapped Louis in his arms, the relief so strong he worried he would collapse from it.

"Thank you," he said, but it was muffled into Louis' hair.

For once, Louis didn't make a sarcastic remark. "Your welcome," he said.

\----------

It was a month later when Louis finally finished the pre-edit novel.

"It's the longest I've ever written," Louis told Niall, grinning. "Six hundred pages, and it's the best I've written. Great character progression and stuff."

Niall grinned at him. "And stuff," he repeated.

Louis huffed. "You're insufferable."

"Sorry," Niall said, but he didn't sound like he meant it, and Louis would have said something about it if Niall wasn't kissing him. "I'm happy for you, Lou. You did amazing."

Louis smiled. He was used to getting praise, but it meant more coming from Niall. "Thanks, Niall," he said.

"'Course, love," Niall responded. "So, how about we celebrate? We can go out, wherever you want. You pick and I'll pay."

"I like the new place," Louis said.

Niall grabbed his keys. "New place it is,"

The club was quieter than usual. And by that, Louis meant that he actually had a few inches between him and the other people (though that was all the room there was).

He danced with Niall, and he wondered how all these drunk outings and dancing had never led to anything more.

But Louis knew. Niall wanted to go slow, wanted to make sure it wasn't just about sex.

"People use me, Lou. I'm not saying you will, I just don't want to risk it. You're too important," Niall had said, and Louis had decided he was okay with waiting, because he knew that both of them were a little bit broken, and he wanted both of them to heal. Wanted to heal together.

Louis was walking toward the bar when he bumped into someone.

"Sorry," he said, looking up to see who he had crashed into only to meet a very familiar set of green eyes.

Louis just stood there. After eight and a half months, here he was. In a bar, of all places.

He looked exactly the same as he had the day he left. Slightly tired, and sad. It made Louis' heart hurt, because even after all this time, Louis still loved him.

"Louis," Harry said, looking at him in surprise. Then he smiled, shy. "It's nice to see you. You look great."

"Thanks," Louis said. 

"You wanna head back to my table?" Harry asked, still charming, still charisma and seduction, sex and style all rolled into one entity.

"Sure," Louis said, and he followed him.

"So, how've you been, Lou?" Harry asked, sitting across from him.

"Been pretty good. Just finished a new story."

Harry smiled. "That's great, Lou."

"So, you been doing okay?" Louis asked.

Harry's brow furrowed. " What do you mean?"

"Your mom, you know? How've you been doing with her death?" Louis asked, and Harry flinched.

"'M okay, I guess. I try not to think about it. It hurts."

"Sorry," Louis said.

Harry nodded. "So, have you got anyone now?"

Louis smiled. "I don't know. I think so."

Harry pursed his lips. "Better question. Do they have you?" he asked, and it was so much easier to answer.

"Yeah. They have me," he said, because he did. Niall had him, and Louis thought that maybe that was okay. Maybe it would be alright for him to own his heart.

"That's good, I guess. You deserve to be happy, Lou. I know I left things horrible between us, and you didn't deserve that. But I'm glad you're happy," he said, and he smiled wide, showing his teeth. It had been the smile that had made Louis want to do anything for him, had made him feel like Harry was all he needed.

But he wasn't Niall.

"Louis?" Niall called, and Louis glanced over at him. He smiled.

"Hey, Niall, sorry. Got distracted," he said, standing up so he was next to Niall. Harry watched him carefully.

"'S cool. Who's this?" he asked, the slightest undercurrent of jealousy.

"This is Harry. Harry, this is Niall," Louis said, and watched the two of them size each other up.

Harry shook his head, but smiled. "I'm sure Lou painted me as a total dick, and I guess I deserve that, but could you do me a favor?" he asked.

"Depends what you want," Niall said, sightly hostile.

"Take good care of Louis. He deserves it."

Niall smiled. "Trust me. I know," he said. "Come on, Lou. We're heading home. You need to sleep," Niall said, then looked back at Harry. "It was nice to meet you, Harry."

Harry smiled. "You too. Maybe we'll see each other again," he said, and it was a question.

"Maybe," Niall said.

Louis followed Niall away, and he wondered if he was imagining the regret in Harry's eyes when he looked at him.

The drive home was quiet, Niall stealing glances at Louis out of the corner of his eye whenever the car stopped.

They got inside, and Louis locked the door, hanging his keys on the hook.

 He walked into the living room, looking at Niall, who looked lime he was thinking about something really hard.

"Niall?" Louis asked, and when Niall looked up at him, Louis took an involuntary step back.

Louis had never seen Niall's eyes look that dark, that possesive.

"Sorry, Lou. I never was good at overcoming jealousy," he said, and then he was in front of Louis, kissing him deep, wild, pushing him against he door jam, one of his legs slipping between Louis' thighs, grinding against Louis' rapidly hardening member.

When Louis broke for air, Niall made his way to his jaw, then his neck, biting and soothing, biting and soothing, until Louis had three very noticable love bites on his neck.

"You're mine, Lou. Not Harry's, mine," he said.

Louis nodded, because it was true. He was completely and utterly Niall's.

Niall growled at that, and dragged them toward the staircase, toward the bedroom.

Louis followed, eager, his breath coming in pants from what Niall did to him. He had never had this strong of reactions to people, to these kinds of touches, and he didn't know if it was because it had been so long since the last time, or just because it was Niall.

Both, he decided. Probably both.

The door was opened and closed at a speed Louis didn't know possible, and then he was on the bed, Niall above him, still kissing him.

Louis was getting very annoyed with the amount of clothing they were still wearing, so he tugged on Niall's shirt, growling, putting his mouth to his Niall's ear.  
"Take it off, or I'll tear it off," he said, struggling a bit as Niall grinded against him.

Niall smiled, and it was the sexiest smile Louis had ever seen. He pulled off his shirt, throwing it somewhere on the floor. "You too, Lou."

Louis sat up and pulled his shirt over his head, throwing in on the general direction Niall did.

Niall surprised him by moving to his skinnies and pulling them down his legs, his boxers coming down with them.

Niall stared a moment, a small smirk on his face, his eyes full of wonder. Louis was seriously contemplating making a sassy remark when Niall looked up at him, his eyes drowning in desire and possesion.

"Christ, Lou. You're so fucking pretty," Niall said, and then he was kissing him again, and Louis decided that it would probably be best if he didn't talk.

Niall moved down his neck, nipping at his collarbone. Made his way down Louis' chest, then his stomach, until he was at the v of Louis' hips, licking and biting here and there, so close.

"So hard, Lou. All for me," Niall said, stroking _almost there_.

"Fuck, Niall," Louis said, breathless, because he wasn't sure how much teasing he could take.

Niall smirked, and then Louis' tip was enclosed in warm, wet heat, Niall's tongue swirling, and Louis grunted somewhere low in his throat, hips arching off the bed.

Niall held down his hips, grinning up at Louis. "Uh uh, Lou. Be a good boy and hold still for me," he said, and Louis was pretty sure he really liked Niall like this.

Louis responded with a high pitched whine, trying to hold himself still.

Niall moved back to Louis' member, taking it back in his mouth, bobbing his way down, licking the vein on the underside, swirling his tongue at the tip, until Niall couldn't take anymore, and he was gagging.

Louis didn't seem to mind. His head was thrown back, small curses escaping his mouth as he tried to keep himself from thrusting up more into Niall's mouth (beacause really, Louis was pretty sure Niall's mouth was a sin).

Louis was almost there, and he was clawing at the sheets, cursing. "Fuck, Niall. I'm... nng, 'm gonna..." Louis said, and Niall pulled off with and obscene pop.

"Can't have that, now can we?" Niall said, and Louis was somewhere between annoyed and really turned on by Niall's cockiness.

Louis flipped them, putting Niall below him, and proceeded to leave love bites on nearly every inch of his torso.

Niall moaned, and it was like music to Louis' ears.

He made it to Niall's chinos, pausing a moment, looking up at Niall, who was staring back down at him, patient but breathless, like maybe, just maybe, Louis had the same effect on him as he had on Louis.

He unbuttoned Niall's chinos with his teeth, relishing in Niall's low moan, and he hadn't even done anything.

His boxers were next, and Louis was confronted with Niall's member, hard and leaking a bit of precum.

Louis licked it off, taking in Niall's grunt of approval, and then he took Niall into his mouth.

Louis learned long ago that he had virtually no gag reflex when it came to sex, so he bobbed up and down until he had reached the slight fuzz at the base of Niall's cock.

Niall thrust up, and Louis took it, _liked_  it. "Fucking christ, Lou, look at you. You look so pretty on my cock like that," he said, thrusting up.

Louis relaxed, let Niall set the pace, thrusting up into his mouth at a quick, wrapping his fingers around Louis' hair.

"Fuck!" Niall called, and then he dragged Louis off by his hair.

Louis looked a bit confused, but mostly unfocused. He always had liked when people got a bit rough with him during sex.

"Lube?" Niall asked, flipping them again so he was between Louis' thighs, stroking his hip, kissing behind his ear.

"Drawer," Louis manged to say.

Niall pulled out the bottle of lube and a condom, and put the lube on his fingers, rubbing them together to warm it up a bit.

His fingers moved down and he circled Louis's hole, watching Louis' lashes flutter closed, his teeth grit.

"So beautiful, Lou," Niall cooed, and then he had two fingers in Louis, thrusting gently, not wanting to hurt him.

Louis moaned, pushing down on Niall's fingers. There was a slight burn from the strech, but that only made the pleasure stronger, and he bit on his lip, drawing blood.

Niall seemed to know that Louis was okay, because he thrusted a bit faster, a bit harder, listening to Louis moans, like a symphony of beauty and sex.

Niall hit a spot in Louis, and Louis positively _keened_ , pushing down on Niall's fingers, wimpering, and Niall figured he had found his prostate.

Grinning, he thrust against that spot again, watching Louis writhe in pleasure.

"God, Niall, come _on!_ " Louis half screamed.

Niall kissed him deep, through. Then he grinned. "Yes, your majesty," he said, and Louis was pretty sure that he might be able to come from that alone.

Niall rolled on the condom, spreading lube over his length, hissing a bit at the coolness. He posistioned himself at Louis' entrance, waiting for Louis' okay.

Louis nodded, because he didn't think he could say words anymore.

Niall pushed in, slow, and Louis moaned at the burn, writhing as Niall made his way inside him inch by inch.

Niall was in to the hilt, and he was panting, because _christ_ , Niall had never been in someone so tight before.

"Shit, Lou, you're fucking tight. You okay?" he asked, because as much as he wanted to completely wreck Louis, he didn't want to hurt him.

"God, _move_ ," Louis demanded, and really, who was Niall to deny him what he wanted?

He pulled out so only the tip was left in, then thrust in, careful.

"Fuck, Niall. No pansy ass whatever you're doing, just fuck me," Louis said, and it was enough to get Niall going.

He growled, and set the pace fast and hard and deep, keeping a string of curses and Niall's name falling endlessly from Louis' lips.

Louis could feel it building in him, the heat coiling low in his abdomen.

"Niall, Niall, 'm gonna..." he began.

Niall growled. "Scream my name, Louis," he said, and he began to lose control, lose the rythmn, and he was going at an even faster pace.

"Niall, niall niallniallniall _NIALL_!" Louis screamed, the heat releasing, and Louis was coming between them, his voice going hoarse from the sheer volume of his scream.

Niall thrusted in a few more times, and then he reached his release, and he buried himself as deeply as he could.

He collapsed to the side of Louis, listening to both their breaths come in pants.

Louis curled into Niall's side, a small satisfied smile on his lips, "I love you, Niall."

Niall smiled, because he had never been happier.

"Love you too, Lou," he said, and they fell into a deep sleep.

\----------

The sun was muted through the curtains. It fell soft, warm, just like Niall's skin.

Louis snuggled deeper into Niall's chest, covering his face, too awake to fall back to sleep, too content to leave his bed, _their_  bed. Too happy to actually get up.

He looked up at Niall, who looked like an angel, blonde hair falling over his forehead, his lips quirked into a small smile even in sleep.

He watched as vivid blue eyes blinked awake, then looked at him, and a large smile replaced the small one.

"Morning, love," Niall said.

Louis smiled back at him. "Morning, Nialler."

Niall got them both up and showered, their teeth brushed, and they went down to the kitchen, Louis putting on the kettle for tea.

"So, I was thinking hashbrows for breakfast..." Niall said, and Louis smiled.

"You know..." Louis said, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah?" Niall asked, freezing in the middle of his sentence.

Louis remembered the day he met Niall, how it was so similar yet so different from today.

"I'm glad I met you, Niall," he said, smiling at him.

Niall smiled back at him, and he kissed him, all warmth and smiles and happy and the things they talked about.

Louis knew they were both a little broken, but it was okay. They could pick up the broken pieces, and maybe, just maybe, they could build something beautiful. After all, they weren't perfect. But they were close enough for Louis.


End file.
